Clean-out mechanism



Sept. 8, 1936. H. PAXTON 2,053,493 CLEAN-OUT`MEQHANISM Fil'ed April 25, 1934 supporting rows of fruit Patented Sept. 8, 1936 CLEAN -OUT MECHANISM Hale Paxton, Santa Ana, Calif., assignor to Paxton Credit Corporation, Santa Ana, Calif., a. corporation of California Application April 25, 1934, Serial No. 722,282

2 Claims.

allel, fixed axes lying in a given horizontal plane,

Vthus closely spacing the elements so that a series of troughs or channels are provided by the combined upper surface of these elements for while it is being washed, dried, polished or what not.

These elements are all rotated in the same direction so that fruit resting in any of said channels is continuously rotated. mit is fed into the machine by rolling it over the endmos-t element of the series away from which the upper surfaces of the elements travel owing to their rotation. After the rst channel is occupied by a row of fruit, the next fruit fed to the machine engages the rst occupants of the rst channel, causing them to jump over the second rotating element into the second channel.

Continued feeding of fruit to the machine thus causes the stream of fruit to be advanced in the same manner from channel to channel through the entire machine. When the stream of fruit ceases as the last of a given lot is fed to the machine, it becomes necessary to clean out the fruit resting in the channels of the machine.

An object of my invention is to provide a mechanism for automatically cleaning out the residual fruit in a fruit treating machine.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a clean-out mechanism which will be positive and thorough and yet gentle in operation so as not to bruise or otherwise injure such perishable fruits as apples, oranges, and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide means on a fruit treating machine for increasing the scrubbing action of the treating elements on the fruit.

Another object of my invention is to provide clean-out means for a fruit treating machine that will also serve to increase the scrubbing action of the treating elements on the fruit.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

mounted on parv (Cl. M16-202) Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatically vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective View of a portion of the machine shown in Figs. l and 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic, sectional views illustrating the operation of certain parts of the machine.

Referring specically to the drawing, a fruit washing machine lll comprising a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. l, this machine including a washing unit li and a clean-out mechanism i2.

The washer li includes a tank i5 having inclined inlet and outlet boards i6 and lll, respectively. Rotatably mounted on trunnions 2li and 2l within the tank 551s a plurality of brushes 22, these being driven in a common direction of u rotation at a uniform speed, the latter being Ioperatively connected to the trunnions 2t by suitable spiral gearing 2t as shown in Fig. 2. Fixed to the upper, inside edges of the side walls of the tank l5 are toothed racks 2t and mounted on the intake and outlet ends of the tank l5 are control switches 2t and 2t, respectively.

The clean-out mechanism l2 includes a crossbeam 35 supported Within the tank lll by hangers St. Rotatably mounted on the upper ends of the hangers 36 are :hanged rollers 3l, the latter resting on the uppen edges-of the side walls of thetank l5 as shown in Fig. 2. Journalled on' the beam 35 in suitable bearings @il is a shaft ll havy ing pinions t2 xed on its opposite ends, the pinions 52 meshing with the aforementioned racks 26. Mounted on the beam 35 is a reversible electric motor @32' which drives the shaft @il through a suitable speed reduction unit t3. Formed on the edges of the beam 35 are equally spaced notches t5 as shown in Fig. 3. v

Removably secured to the beam 35 are U- shaped pressure elements 5t, each of these being formed of a single piece of rubber to provide vertical legs 5l and a horizontal portion 52. The upper ends of the legs 5l are formed to provide elements 5t. The members 50 are secured to the beam 35 by the notches t5 which receive the upper ends of the legs 5l as shown.

Operation The clean-out mechanism' l2 of my invention is particularly designed for continuous re'- ciprocation in a right line path so as to remain at all times closely over the brushes as shown in board.

Figures 1 and 2. 'I'he reversing switches 28 and 29 cause a change of direction in the movement of the mechanism I2 at opposite ends of the machine so that as soon as the mechanism reaches an end of the machine, this motion is reversed and the mechanism started backwardly toward the opposite end of the machine.

As a result of the mechanism I2 operating in this manner, the clean-out elements engage the fruit and cause this to move forwardly in advance of the clean-out mechanism whenever the latter travels in the same direction as the fruit travels through-the machine and as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. When travelling in the reverse direction, however, the fruit engaged by the ingers 50 is being rotated in such a manner that the fruit rolls underneath these fingers as shown in Figure 4. In some cases, the fruit passes under the clean-out elements 50 while the latter are disposed directly over one o! the brushes 22, as illustrated in Figure 5-. When the mechanism I2 is travelling in a reverse direction, there is of course a constant stream of fruit across the brushes 22, passing underneath and between the clean-out elements 50. A substantial downward pressure is exerted by the elements 50 against the fruit thus passing therebeneath which urges the fruit into a more forcible contact with the brushes, thereby increasingthe scrubbing action of the brushes on the fruit.

Each time the mechanism I2 travels from the intakeend of the machine to the discharge end thereof, all the fruit in the machinewhen this movement started is cleaned out and delivered over the board I1 outof the machine by the time the mechanism I2 arrives adjacent said delivery Itis thus seen that I have devised a simple clean-out mechanism which is inexpensive to construct and which has the benecial effect of increasing the scrubbing action of the brushes on the fruit as well as periodically causing all of the fruit in the machine to be completely discharged thereirom.

I claim as my invention: Y

1. In a fruit treating apparatus the combination of: a frame; a plurality of cylindrical treating elements mounted in parallel relation on said frame and transversely of the direction oi travel of fruit passing through said machine, vsaid treating elements being driven in a common direction of rotation and providinga treating surface for said fruit characterized by a series of troughs between said elements; a clean-out member disposed above said-treating elements and substantially parallel therewith; means for causing said clean-out member to travel from end to end o! said apparatus along a path disposed closely above said treating elements in a continuous automatic reciprocating motion and at a relatively slow rate of speed; and'exible fruit engaging means r. extending downwardly from said member/finto the path of fruit travelling through said'machinasaid flexible means cleaning out of said machine` the fruit disposed in advance of said means when the latter travel in the same' direction as said fruit in passing through said machine, said fruit engaging means on its return movement in the opposite direction engaging fruit in said troughs, pressing said fruit against said treating elements and permitting said fruit to pass underneath said fruit engaging -v means in the normal direction of travel of fruit through said machine.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in whichsaid yieldable fruit engaging means comprises a row oi closely spaced U-shaped elements formed of resilient material, said individual resilient elements lying in planes parallel with the direction of travel of said clean-out member.

HALE PAXTON. 

